Government proposals that use blanket planning permissions, or permitted development rights, to bypass local scrutiny to deliver housing in England put quality and affordability at risk, it is claimed.

Planning in England has been reduced to a chaotic patchwork of responsibilities which has led to a complete lack of confidence from the public in terms of what is being built, according to a new review of the system.

Reviewing green belt boundaries as part of the local plan process should only take place in exceptional circumstances – but this ‘strategic shrinking’ of the green belt is as ‘harmful’ as building on it, according to the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).